American Idol XIII – Top 9 Song Spoilers (UPDATED)

@IdolSpoilers are releasing the song spoilers for American Idol XIII Top 9. The theme is “I’m With The Band.”

Jess Meuse – Rihannon by Fleetwood MacMajesty York – Shake it Out by Florence + The MachineCaleb Johnson – “Dazed and Confused” by Led ZepplinDexter Roberts – “Boondocks” by Little Big TownMalaya Watson – Long and Winding Road by The BeatlesJena Irene – Bring Me to Life by EvanescenceSam Woolf – Hey There Delilah by the Plain White TsCJ Harris – If It Hadn’t Been For Love by the Steel DriversAlex Preston – Don’t Speak by No Doubt

Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted.I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!

That is a tough song to sing….and Florence has such a range and power to her voice…I smell disaster with this choice

Kirsten

I just love spoilers. Jess has picked a good song, but I wonder if she sounds to much like Stevie to avoid being karaoke. Caleb will kill. Majesty may be able to work that out (or she’s done). Boondock’s totally sounds like the kind of song Dexter has been singing all along. It will be totally karaoke, but that totally works for him (when he changes it up, he gets in trouble).

ludimila spíndola

That’s my fear… Here I’m hoping she’s gonna completely change it, and make it a folk song… just praying here… Really like what Majesty brings to the competition.

LeoCS

Oh god, I don’t know if I want to hear Rickey’s band doing a 1:40 minute version of Dazed and Confused.

Marko

Lol. Malaya pressed the replay button.

Kirsten

Long and Winding Road? I’m not seeing it from Malaya. Can she bring the world-weariness to it? Why are the young kids always the one’s singing this song on this show? Archie, Aaron and Devin have all sung it. They all advanced, so it’s popular with the voters.

Sassycatz

The Long and Winding Road is not a “band song.” As I recall, McCartney meant it to be an intimate song with vocals and a piano and someone else — whether it was the other Beatles, the producer, the label — whoever — added the strings and other instrumentation which McCartney disputed. Just one more straw on the breakup pile.

Jena is gonna KILL!!!!!! (with a capital k) bring me to life! this will be her moment of the season i bet

Guest

Jena going to sing “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence & Paul McCoy.

Sassycatz

Yeah, just not meant to be chopped up.

Marko

Great song for Jena. She will have to clean up the vocals though.

Kirsten

someone else — whether it was the other Beatles, the producer, the label — whoever — added the strings and other instrumentation which McCartney disputed.

That was crazy old Phil Spector and his “Wall of Sound”. McCartney actually used what they did to LAWR as one of his six points for breaking up the Beatles during his lawsuit. It was Lennon’s idea to bring in Spector and they would later work together on his definitive song, “Imagine”.

Guest

I wonder if Jena will start with the piano and go full force like Angie, along with the wind machine going full throttle? One of my favorite performance last season.

Sam is doing “Hey, There Delilah”. Hmmm…it’s in his wheelhouse, but is it too far into his wheelhouse? That was a monster hit back in the day.

I know Plain White Tee’s are a band, but it’s all acoustic guitar. How does the rest of the band fit into this? Sam should be singing this by himself on stage. I guess there is some violins percolating in the background.

Just maybe, the young lady will perform it as Sir Paul intended. She also seems to have had quite a bit of angst in her young life to draw from…. I want her to stay in till Tuba night.

tripp_ncwy

Sam, Sam, Sam going back into your box.

Marko

It is a risk, you’re right. But if it works… By the way, Michael Orland is a genius aranger.

Kirsten

I’ve never heard CJs song before, but it is totally the kind of song he should be singing. He should be safe.

MichaelG

‘Hey There Delilah’ for Sam. Well, I prematurely smell a snooze-fest and a B3.

Sassycatz

But the theme is “I’m with the Band,” right? I don’t have any problem with her singing it per se, but it doesn’t fit the theme.

MichaelG

Sure, so long as he can sing more than 6 of the notes on key.

MichaelG

I think this is an awesome choice for her, Indeed.

ptebwwong

Considering he’s never been in the B3 even when he’s really off-key like last week, I think he’s safe for now. I think he’ll be in the B3 once there’s less contestants in a couple of weeks.

Kirsten

While that generally does help, off-key singing seems to be a non-issue for him. He had barely anything in common with the melody last week and he sailed through. If he sings a song his fans want to hear, he’ll be fine no matter whether he “kills it” or “kills it”.

Kirsten

Alex Preston and “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt? Really? I’ll have to wait and see what he does. He’ll be called an artist no matter what he does (and with Noah coming out this week, his pants will finally be in style!)

Damien Roberts

I think all of these song choices seem pretty safe actually.

Roimeister

Just for the record.. Dazed and Confused was written by Jake Holmes

Kirsten

I agree. Except for Majesty’s choice (and possibly Malaya’s), they all seem firmly in their wheelhouses.

Madilo

Sam Woolf – Hey There Delilah by the Plain White Ts I’m here for this, the only song i know on the list above lol.

Landon Cox

Adele covered it, it’s pretty good

MichaelG

I actually liked him…until last week. Man…an assault to the ears.

Marko

I just imagined Alex dressed like Allison Iraheta, singing “Don’t speak” back in season 8.

Vetle

I like a lot of these choices actually. As usual I do not really care about Dexter or CJ’s songs. Strangely, I am most excited about Alex. Don’t Speak is an amazing song. Majesty will be interesting as well, hopefully she gives a great performance.

chillj

The only song I don’t like is Malaya’s. I’m not a big Beatle person, though.

Eilonwy_has_an_emu

Jess Meuse — Took “oh, she sounds like Stevie Nicks” comments last week way too seriously, will rue them this week, when she’s either “karaoke” or “no Stevie Nicks.” Sad because I like her style, but she’s walking right into it.

Majesty Rose — Unless she intends to strip this down and folk it up, this will be yet another reminder that she thinks she’s a powerful, defiant belter when she’s not. More sadness.

Caleb MLM Johnson — Heeded the plaintive cries of the grannies for songs they know. Safely in his lane. I can probably safely ignore him until Top Two now.

Dexter Puppy-Lovin’ Roberts — Safely in his lane. Decent chance of demonstrating this week that he’s not one of the first victims of the zombie apocalypse, but does, in fact, breathe and think.

Malaya Watson — Learned last week that she gets plaudits for showing subtlety and restraint. Making a direct challenge for the granny vote and the “true artist” vote. Gutsy choice, shows a mid-packer who might care about advancing.

Jena Irene — Safely in her lane. Will be criticized for “screaming.”

Sam Woolf — Safely in his lane. Also has managed to find one prospect I consider more dire than Caleb MLM Johnson singing the asteroid song.

CJ Harris — Returned to his lane. Will get complaints that people don’t know the song. I would be thrilled if he found a tune this week. [ETA: This lane-return needed to happen, IMO.]

Alex Preston — Not letting anybody get that “true artist” vote away from him without a tussle; heeded the moans that there haven’t been any Moments yet by attempting to fulfill the conditions for one. I wouldn’t hate him for managing it.

Vetle

According to whatnottosing, Led Zeppelin has a great track record. Hopefully he will do well with it!

chillj

Me neither. The restraint she will probably use is good, but it could be bland.

girlygirl

Sorry, Sam. You are toast with that song choice.

Hopefully Caleb can pull off the Led Zep song and give us a real “moment”.

Jena’s could be interesting, or it could turn into a total screamfest.

I love “Rhiannon”, but I tend to compare everyone to Stevie Nicks. Not fair, I know, Hopefully Jess can do something with the song to keep me from doing that

Unpopular opinion, but I “Don’t Speak” is not one of my favorite No Doubt. I’m sure Alex will do something cool with it, though

MV007

Jess has had issues expressing her connection to the songs all season. And this song requires one to connect and sell it to the audience. This will either be a disaster or her best performance of the season.

MV007

So you’re not a music person? Just kidding. This isn’t one of my favorite song choices either.

Trina

YESSSS Caleb! Go Baby Meatloaf! Kill that Zeppelin!

chillj

There are an awful lot of Beatle songs I loathe. I guess they are music, but the avoidable kind. They are overplayed. (Oh hell, I didn’t like them when they were underplayed, either).

Tom22

if they use the Fleetwood Mac band support that Stevie sang with they’ll torpedo yet another performance on the show. Haley R did a great job but even though she didn’t completely connect with the song the way she did with some other songs, the arrangement was perfect to let us hear her voice and give at lest some freedom to be different from Stevie Nicks.. … I think that with that understated piano (but crisper, cleaner than Fleetwood….different…not better-different) and heavy use of the brush and cymbol to start.. Jess would have a chance of knocking it out of the park.. it fits her better.. it got chosen by someone else for HR. But I expect the band will march all over it and the backround singers won’t have had a chance to practice and , the sound will be mixed equal band and singer and… well same old same old for the season.. I HOPE to be surprised… they have a road map they an copy at least…not sure anyone is up to RC feel at the piano that so delicately would let the singer go and mimic their style subtle..cascade at the same pace stiking notew within their subtle riffs with slightly different attact per note..

kayell

Well, this will be the first week she is performing a song not part of her set, maybe that will help her – singing something fresh.

Marko

Didi Benami’s version (season 9) was very good.

Tom22

Thoughts on Jess in relpy to a comment above.

For Majesty: Similar to what I said about Rhianon, if the band plays it based on the original, not the understated way that showcases the singer on a TV show; with viewers trying to focus on the singer, they’ll lose the game for Majesty before she starts. A similar approach to Ray Chews Rhiannon would let Majesty shine… else we’ll have the clumsy driving all over the singer who’s trying to fit the bands idea one more time… i hope the don’t make that mistake a 4rth week in a row.

LeahKittyS

I ask myself the same question, why does the youngest finalist always sing this song when it comes up? (Archie, Aaron, Devin, and Malaya are all the youngest of their seasons.) But it’s a lovely song and everybody’s done a good or at least okay job with it, so I’m not too concerned. She’s been mid pack for me all along; this could turn me one way or the other with her.

Tom22

Thanks ! I forgot that ! I enjoyed it again … I hope the band night theme doesn’t mean they think they need to play a lot instead of staying out of the way like with Didi.. ..she liked the song a lot and it showed.

Oh.. .. almost Barfed when Randy starts yammering after a great connected interpretation.. can’t believe that guy

Based on the songs, I’m wondering if the theme was just that they had to pick songs originally done by bands (or vocal groups? Is Little Big Town considered a band? I honestly don’t know.). I wouldn’t be surprised to see some different arrangements (at least I hope, based on some of these choices.).

Eilonwy_has_an_emu

The “lounge lizard lite” sound applied to all songs in S12 alienated me in a big way. I’d had some issues with it in S11 that I recall, but in S12, it was prevalent enough to send me over the edge.

That doesn’t mean individual songs didn’t work, though, and I don’t recall my loathing being anywhere near as intense during S10.

Brynn

This is truly amazing. This will be the second time Jena took my advice with her song choice–I could not wait to hear her sing Evanescence! She is like a very modern and refreshing versatile Amy Lee for me, and I think she’ll absolutely blow people away tonight with her own style of that song.

I really wish Alex wouldn’t be doing No Doubt, so Jena could sing that later on the show, but I guess we’ll see how he pulls it off. I actually think he’d be better doing Sam’s song choice, and Sam doing something by the Beatles instead, but oh well.

CJ doing “If It Hadn’t Been for Love” is very exciting, however, I know Adele’s version is wonderful & I think he’s got the voice for that!

Jessica’s song choice is quite expected, since the only artist she can mimic is Stevie Nicks, which to me is not a good thing, and shows she’s pretty limited as an artist, but whatever works for her..

Sassycatz

That was the semis, before they hit the big stage with all of its distractions. I miss that part of the competition.

thirdtime

I see Sam is still playing it safe, I picture him standing there with his guitar and maybe the same hat as last week. Definitely no wow moment with him this week. Actually it looks like most of them are playing it safe except for maybe Caleb, Jena and Alex. The one I’m looking forward to most is Alex with Don’t Speak. I see him changing that up a bit.

RedMountainRanch

Another week with predominately bad song choices. Sigh.

Kirsten

I love how this blog brings so many people with different information together. I learn so much here.

BTW, when I call Phil crazy, I mean batshit. He was scary back in the day (chasing John around the studio with a gun), but his behaviour just got worse until he finally did kill somebody – a poor woman he’d invited to his house.

Kirsten

Based on the songs, I’m wondering if the theme was just that they had to pick songs originally done by bands

Wasn’t the theme changed? TIP originally had the theme as “Loved One Dedications”. I can see some of these songs as being left-overs from that original theme because they fit that one better, but still qualify if you squint. “Hey, There Delilah” I’m looking at you.

hayes

Excited for Jena. It’s not “My Immortal” on the piano, but hey, I’ll take what I can get!

pj

Does this mean we can finally get rid of Sam? *crosses fingers*

I don’t really like Jess’ choice, but perhaps she will surprise me. I like her. I didn’t like Haley’s version when she did it either. I did love Haley’s “What is and What Should Never Be” by Led Zepp. I hope Caleb can pull off “Dazed and Confused” without seeming too Jack Blackish and karaoke.

Trina

Yup. I’m having flashbacks to season 4, the semi-finals weeks 2. There were so many horribly boring performances and then Bo came out with Whipping Post and it was like the Idol stage didnt know what hit it hee.

Niall

The song choices look good. It doesn’t seem like anyone has picked a song that is so far off course I’m scared for them. I’ve been wanting Jess to do a Fleetwood Mac song. I do think the judges might turn on her by accusing her of sounding too much like Stevie, which is going to suck if she delivers a great performance. Lots of people have won or at least gone deep on this show by staying in their wheelhouse. Scotty McCreery is a great example. If you already know who you are and you have a fanbase willing to vote for you, it’s kind of silly to risk “get back in your box” comments just to prove you can do something else. Is Dexter predictable? Absolutely, but he’s also inexperienced and needs to stick with what he knows.

onlooker

Sad. Creative, mad genius?

Tom22

Thanks..I Fair enough. FWIW I had some skin crawling sensation last year too with the songs pushed on many singers ….particularly the ones they pushed Kree and Janelle into . Also, if you didn’t like my favorites for the year that would be even worse for you(swing the only “good” ones to the other end and yeah). A couple of the arrangements I liked best were for songs people just hated (actually i had to laugh at myself even for realizing what a minority I was in) … top being MacArthur Park… I thought the band was incredible on that ; yet…hard to for anyone to enjoy a song itself that had people wretching…what did Jimmy say “Didn’t buy it” . Seaon 10 did have a lot more variety.. far far far less songs that are normally played in lounges…and were there any songs that couldn’t be last season? (got you)

H.A.

Some pretty interesting choices. Alex can have a big moment with Don’t Speak if done right. It’s a great song. I can see him changing it up. Jena performing Bring Me to Life is predictable. I was expecting her to sing this song at some point. She to could have a good night. Caleb needs to bring something different tonight. I’m sure he’ll do well but I’m waiting for him to up his performances even more. Jess is the one I’m looking forward to. I still feel she has more to give and this looks like a good choice. The rest are playing it way to safe. In fact I feel they are the weakest of the bunch.

Did he have the Bandzilla, sound man’s nightmare, attention-whore problem that Ricky Minor’s band has? I can’t remember.

I was there the night Haley performed Rhiannon, and it was delicious in the studio. Of course, it was more than the song arrangement that made it magical. We were surrounded by fog and the quiet piano and vocals, and then the drums and the wind machine and ooooo-ing background singers sprang to life and it was like a rollercoaster.

I’m afraid Jess won’t be able to make the song her own because of her Nicksian voice. If she was going to sing Fleetwood Mac, though, I was hoping for Dreams, or something else.

pj

Cool. Thanks.

WiltedYouth

I wonder if the band theme will restrict her in any way. I really hope not, because she won’t wow anyone by sticking with the original arrangement.

pj

I’m a lil intrigued by Alex doing No Doubt. It could be really good or really not good at all.

Ha. Yeah, that would work too. (*Completely* unrelated, of course, but most of these contestants are killing me with their lack of imagination in song choices.)

Mainly, I just mean that I hope the “I’m with the band” theme doesn’t mandate a huge, crazy arrangement. Some of these would benefit from scaled back arrangements. I haven’t had time to read all the threads/comments, so I’m not sure if anyone else was as confused by this theme as I was. But seeing the list made it finally make sense for me. Ha.

Eilonwy_has_an_emu

Did he have the Bandzilla, sound man’s nightmare, attention-whore problem that Ricky Minor’s band has?

Nope. Of course, Ricky Minor’s band didn’t have the Bandzilla problem, back in its first stint with Idol. I dunno what’s up there. Alas, my being pissed at the weaknesses of the current band doesn’t soften my dislike of the style of the former band. A pox on both their houses!

Maybe I shouldn’t blame Ricky Minor. The sound problems this season are far from limited to the band.

MyDailyComment

She has fans who love her! I am voting for her!!!!

Kimmy Moores

As much as I like Jena…she just seems like another Hayley [Paramore] at this point and well… Idc anymore. I’d like something from her aside from the expected…though that means she’d have to do something whacky and something that could screw her over.. I dunno, I’m just not that into her if she stays in this wheelhouse.

Miz

I like most of these choices. I’m not thrilled with either Caleb or Malaya’s.

We could have some ‘moments’ tonight.

Kimmy Moores

And if Majesty is downright insane…she’ll be trying to belt that song. Which she shouldn’t. Hopefully she’ll stay behind her guitar.

Kimmy Moores

Sam doing that song…I hate that song already. It’s so boring. Though I do believe Dexter and CJ have a sooner chance of leaving at this point. All Sam needs to do is look adorbs and sing in tune and look on the brink of tears.

Blueknight24

As long as they sounded good with these songs, I’m good!

Swind

I’m just curious what’s actually to love about Majesty? She can’t sing in tune or hit notes. So, basically she’s only decent singing around a campfire with a scout troop? lol

Ronnie D

Caleb’s choice should be good, but Sam singing Hey There Delilah? Talk about a lame ass song choice.lol

Miz

I think I had similar feelings that season. Whipping Post was fantastic.

halo9125

Why do I think this is going to be a major suckfest?

Miz

If I recall Stevie Nicks singing it, she’s pretty deadpan too. Except when she does her floaty dancing during the intrumental part.

KNsMama

I don’t understand all the negativity surrounding this season. I really am enjoying it. It seems like every season, there are lots of complaints about how lackluster the talent is. I have never felt that way about a season as a whole.

Guest

I am very confused on what to expect tonight on American Idol. So, the Top 9 will be taking on the theme of “I’m With The Band” and will be singing center stage with the band behind them. Isn’t that what they do every week???

So, no acoustic performances? Also, Sam needs to do “Bring Me To Life” not Jena, as Sam needs to be brought back to life.

Miz

It was. That performance made me like Didi.

Kimmy Moores

Glad I’m not the only one finding this theme painfully redundant

AndyDD

Excellent choice – Alex Very Good choice – Sam, Dexter Good choice – Malaya, Jena (if she enunciates) Meh – CJ Bad choice – Jess (way too iconic) Very Bad choice – Caleb (should be from 90’s or later; if must do Zep on Idol this is not the song), Majesty (all around bad song for Idol)

thirdtime

I would have rather seen Jena sing Shake It Out. I can’t picture Majesty singing that at all.

Itsmekg

@KNsMama – this season is on course for S9 in my opinion, by the last 4 standing I couldn’t even be bothered to watch any longer. Especially after I liked sooooo many people from S8.

With the exception of most of the boys/men from S12, I found last seasons talent far more exciting than this bunch. Nobody on this season has made me have “goosies” or a moment yet, which is disappointing. I mostly fast forward through the performances, especially if I hear one bad note.

Miz

I love Adele’s cover of that song.

colette

that makes “The Long and Winding Road” even more out of place here. Yeah, it was McCartney without the other Beatles.

jpfan2

Hey There Delilah is so boring. Sam is just going to put us all to sleep. Malaya made an interesting choice.

Sowsyalite

Yep unfortunately not enough as she has been in the bottom 3 twice. I don’t think any Idol champion was ever in the bottom 3 twice in the season lol

fuzzywuzzy

idolspoilers just tweeted that they will be leaking snippets of dress rehearsals of tonight’s show here:

We finally get a Beatles song and it’s……oh god, the big soupy ballad. Sung by someone so young her road has been pretty short. And while Stevie Nicks IS “Rhiannon,” and ever will be, it’s an odd song for trying to pop out in a competition. It is melodically quite narrow, and mainly it’s atmospheric. Are we going to see Jess waft around in flowing hippie garb? I wouldn’t imagine that was her thing. Led Zeppelin makes the most sense, and Caleb could knock it out of the park. And “If It Hadn’t BeenFor Love” (covered also by Adele) is a bluesy thang right up CJ’s alley. I can’t imagining him getting much further in the competish, but this should keep him around for another week, at least.

“Majesty Rose — Unless she intends to strip this down and folk it up, this will be yet another reminder that she thinks she’s a powerful, defiant belter when she’s not. More sadness.”

If Majesty doesn’t strip this down, then it will be very sad indeed. I fear that she’s totally lost her way and her confidence has been shaken so badly that she has little chance of recovering the form of her earlier performances.

Marko

Fantasia in season 3, bottom 2 twice :)

fuzzywuzzy

I liked Majesty’s earlier performances, but the past 3-4 weeks show her losing her confidence and failing badly. Her intonation earlier was good, but once she started belting, she couldn’t hit notes and those performances were a mess. Then, when she tried to return to her folkier sound last week, her confidence had been shaken and she again had problems with intonation. She definitely is better than what she’s shown the past few weeks, and rather than improving and progressing, she’s been getting worse. Sad.

Face

while I like many of these songs… I think there are some odd choices for a show like AI / the contestant singing them.. how do you get D&C into 2 mins…. a pretty song like R kinda goes nowhere… SIO is quite repetitive and would also be strange cut to 2 mins… and songs like TLAWR and DS have been done to death on these shows… looks like it could be a potential yawnfest / car crash night… or mix of both…

fuzzywuzzy

HTD is such a safe choice for Sam, exactly the kind of song that I would expect him to sing. Hard to get excited about that performance.

Last week, CJ was so horribly off key that he deserved to leave just for that. At least Dexter can sing on key, even if his performances aren’t original.

fuzzywuzzy

I can’t hear her. There’s a problem with the volume level for me.

BrightLights

I hate to say this because I really like Majesty… but I think she’s going to hit that huge chorus and train wreck.

Tom22

I edited my comment farther up about the Haley Rhiannon performance to better reflect the beauty of it without having people search for it and judge her on that alone. (guess that’s my fear…be too complimentary when I don’t quite feel it and it backfires)

halo9125

I couldn’t hear it either.

BrightLights

I have faith in him not to take it off the rails.

Tom22

I think she has has a spark and a natural ability to impart empathy and joy to others – but her songs and singing hasn’t been completely there on the live shows. Too many fingers to point there.(some to her of course).. who knows how she would have done singing Happy on The Voice with the first hand star coaching and arrangement they used on that program this week… I’d bet it would have been special yet… that’s a hypothetical and its time for reality.

Oh, I hadn’t thought about that being the reason for the volume being so low. lol

Mafs95

I love that song by Florence + The Machine, but I’m not sure if Majesty can really pull it off. It’s a hard song.

Incipit

“I think there are some odd choices for a show like AI / the contestant singing them..how do you get D&C into 2 mins.”

Very good question, Face – or even into a minute and a half – that’s not a logical choice for a singer. Also, if he samples it, the best part of this song is the band – notably, the shredding almost 5 minutes in, and it has no vocals, just wails. This is not logical – even if Rickey Minor’s got someone on board who can shred Zep – at which point I will be very surprised.

After last week, I am trepidatious about Caleb – this is not a good pick. IMO.

rychu

i don’t think it’s for all. maybe they mistakenly posted Alex’s…

jcabby

I find these song choices to be pretty good. The thing is, how well will they sing and perform the songs?

I have to say, I can’t wait to hear Caleb on that Led Zeppelin song. :) I hope Majesty regains her confidence and makes a comeback.

Matthew Kitson

Good choices for jess,Alex and Jena

Pat H

Oh, Alex sounds really good! I think that is Allison with him!

ETA: Only available in the Philippines store, but you can listen!

ETA: Holy Moley!! Jena and Jessica sound incredible!!

fuzzywuzzy

I just signed up for soundcloud, and I still can’t hear the snippets. lol

rychu

Yeah, all songs are up in the Philippines Itunes store. Jena is amazing!

Karen C

Glad Caleb’s doing a Led Zeppelin song. I actually heard Dazed and Confused over the weekend, and thought Caleb would be great with it. Though for the show, I kind of expected Whole Lotta Love. I think he’ll be terrific. I don’t really get the Long and Winding Road for Malaya, I agree, not a band song. I’m not sure how Alex is going to pull off Don’t Speak, unless he has an interesting arrangement. Also, I don’t think I’m going to like Jena on Bring Me Back to Life, her voice sometimes sounds good to me and other times too rough. Probably good choice for Jessica, I thought all along she sounded similar to Stevie Nicks.

Pat H

Jena gave me Goosies!! LOL!! Listening to Majesty now.

ETA: Oooooo, just noticed Jena is last in performance order! Hope she kills it!

halo9125

This is all well and good, but how are they going to sound live? That is the question….

rychu

i’m not liking Majesty’s. :-/

Rúben Guzman

Can you post the links to Jena and Jessica’s performaces on itunes

supersonic

He’ll make that song boring because he’s so vanilla.

Rúben Guzman

Can you post the links because we can listen to snippets of them without opening itunes.

supersonic

I’m just curious what’s actually to love about Majesty?

That’s what I’m wondering. Everybody loses their minds over her; she has these fans who are bordering on nuts; and I keep seeing comments at other places that they will use The Save on her. And I’m like, why? I have not been impressed by her at all. Not her singing; not her attitude. What is actually to love about her?

These themes make every week make each episode feel exactly like the last. They need to have broad themes that have a general feel like decades, 60s, 70s, 80s, ect. Why are producers so dumb and disconnected with what is entertaining and what is boring? Can I take their job for a 50% pay cut Fox?

Nostradamos

Gahhh…I f-n HATE iTunes!! Last time I d/l’d it I got a real nasty virus….and I did it straight from their website.

yeah you can click the preview. that’s how i listened. i cannot buy in the philippines store as well but you can hear the preview (like any song sold in iTunes)

Rúben Guzman

you can listen to the previews without buying them from the philippines site.

Pat H

I don’t think Majesty’s will be a “moment.” But I thought Jessica, Jena, and Alex sounded incredible. Anyone can listen to iTunes from any country by just changing the “country’ on the bottom of your store page. You can’t buy anything though. Not that you would probably want to anyway, from another country.

ETA: Yes, indeed, halo. How will these sound live?!

Damien Roberts

The issue is that while Majesty and Malaya both went out of their comfort zones, I don’t see either of them being the best tonight. “Shake it Out” needs to be belted, and “Long and Winding Road” has a horrible track record.

Loretta

Some awesome song choices. If they sing these songs well and PERFORM, this should be an awesome night.

Matthew Kitson

Glad Jena is going down the punk/rock route. Seems she gets its her style, knows who she is (like Caleb, Jess, Alex)

halo9125

Jessica sounds like a twangy version of a karaoke version of Stevie Nicks on that recording.

teekee

Remember it well. Put me on the Bo train.

fuzzywuzzy

Unfortunately, I’m not fond of Jessica’s recording voice. It sounds a lot more nasally and twangy than her live performances.

girlygirl

so starting and ending the performance order with the 2 most likely to be the most entertaining/energetic.

weareallinnocent

I have to agree. Some of her live performances go too far in that direction, too. At least for me.

Kirsten

LOL. It reminds me of the cellcert we tried back in Season 5. It sounds kind of underwater.

Back in that day, cellphone compression algorithms were intended for normal speaking voices and music didn’t translate all that well over the phones. Either somebody was using an old flip phone or the phone was in somebody’s pocket (or in sime other way hiddden).

Still, I love spoilers so freakin’ much, I’m completely grateful to whoever managed to get these for us. Good times!

Banished

I thought Alex was next to last?

Kirsten

That’s the second time that Caleb has gone first (I suspect both times because he is going to start the show with a bang). Jena is singing last for the first time and has gone first at least once.

Interestingly, 3 of those names are in common and none of those three have ever hit the seal. Caleb is the only person not to hit the seal.

What’s the deal with that? Are their performances not big enough to be featured first or last? Do the producers want to keep them (so don’t send them out first), but aren’t afraid they are going to get voted off (so the don’t send them out last)?

Singing first is certainly not a favour. Since the final 13 started, Dexter is the only person to sing first and not hit the seal. Last week, the first two singers hit the seal and the first singer went home. Conversely, Majesty is the only singer to sing in the last 3 slots who hit the seal (last week, she was 9th out of 10). So, they either save the better singers for later or singing late gives one a little lift.

Roimeister

so much for performance order spoilers…

Kirsten

Drat! So much for my analysis of the performance order. I wonder if the performance is in the reverse order of the spoiler recordings of the performance? Alex is last there, but might have been the first recorded.

Leah Hoffman

My husband said that Alex should sing a Led Zepplin song.

SloDancer

Who says a pianist is not a one man band? After all the piano has a company of over 235 string (players) and half as many percussionists (smile).She did a nice job anyway…..